Jewish Immigration
Immigration Advocacy
The passion of the Workers Circle's immigrant founders echoes through generations of immigration advocacy. In the 1930s, the organization fought to open America's doors to Eastern European refugees. Through the 1950s and 1960s, it demanded policies informed by tragic historical lessons to welcome all seeking refuge. Congressional leaders recognized the Workmen’s Circle as a critical voice in the decade-long campaign that culminated in the landmark Immigration Act of 1965.
Highlights from the archive
Standing up for Eastern European Jewish Refugees Before, During, and After the Holocaust
From the desperate years before World War II through the aftermath of the Holocaust, the Workmen’s Circle sounded urgent alarms about the plight of Eastern European Jewish refugees. In 1939, the organization declared "Refugees are Starving," demanding immediate action as the crisis deepened. Through 1940, leadership, including President Adolph Held, mobilized members with calls to action as traditional escape routes closed. After the war's end, the Workmen’s Circle continued advocating for displaced persons, presenting memoranda to the AFL Convention in 1946 and publishing analyses like "The World's Stepchildren" in 1947. These documents reveal an organization that refused to remain silent as millions faced persecution, displacement, and death.
Highlights from the archive
Between Two Worlds: Identity and Assimilation
As immigrant communities established themselves in America, the Workmen’s Circle grappled with a central challenge: how to maintain Jewish identity and values while embracing American life. This wasn't simple assimilation; it was a deliberate process of cultural adaptation that sought to preserve what mattered most while building new lives in a new land.
Highlights from the archive
The Crisis of Soviet Jewry
For decades, Soviet Jews faced systematic persecution, cultural suppression, and severe restrictions on emigration. The Workmen’s Circle stood as a powerful advocate from the United States, mobilizing support for Soviet Jewry through petitions, declarations, and sustained activism. From documenting the strangling of Russian Jewish life in the 1950s to championing the rights of educated Soviet Jews in the 1970s, the organization worked tirelessly to bring international attention to this humanitarian crisis and support the fight for Jewish emigration rights.
Highlights from the archive
